A Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol for Using an Accelerometer-Smartphone Application Intervention to Increase Physical Activity and Improve Health among Employees in a Military Workplace
Physical activity is beneficial for improving health and reducing sick leave absences. This article describes a protocol for an intervention using an interactive accelerometer smartphone application, telephone counselling, and physical activity recordings to increase the physical activity of workers...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Methods and Protocols |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2409-9279/5/1/1 |
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| author | Emilia Pietiläinen Heikki Kyröläinen Tommi Vasankari Matti Santtila Tiina Luukkaala Kai Parkkola |
| author_facet | Emilia Pietiläinen Heikki Kyröläinen Tommi Vasankari Matti Santtila Tiina Luukkaala Kai Parkkola |
| author_sort | Emilia Pietiläinen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Physical activity is beneficial for improving health and reducing sick leave absences. This article describes a protocol for an intervention using an interactive accelerometer smartphone application, telephone counselling, and physical activity recordings to increase the physical activity of workers in the military and improve their health. Under the protocol, employees from six military brigades in Finland will be randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. The intervention group’s participants will use accelerometers to measure their daily physical activities and their quality of sleep for six months. They will receive feedback based on these measurements via a smartphone application. The intervention group’s participants will be encouraged to exercise for two hours per week during working hours, and to participate in telephone counselling. The control group’s participants will continue with their normal exercise routines, without the accelerometer or feedback. The participants of both groups will be measured at the baseline, after the intervention period, and six months after the end of the intervention. The measurements will include accelerometer recordings, biochemical laboratory tests, body composition measurements, physical fitness tests, and questionnaires on sociodemographic factors, physical activities, and health. The primary outcomes will indicate changes in physical activity, physical fitness, and sick leave absences. The findings will help to develop a straightforward and cost-effective model for supporting the health and working capabilities of employees in the military and other workplaces. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:00:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-40adb405a3804cdd8fcc8bdfa1bfc56b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2409-9279 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:00:13Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Methods and Protocols |
| spelling | doaj.art-40adb405a3804cdd8fcc8bdfa1bfc56b2022-12-22T04:05:40ZengMDPI AGMethods and Protocols2409-92792021-12-0151110.3390/mps5010001A Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol for Using an Accelerometer-Smartphone Application Intervention to Increase Physical Activity and Improve Health among Employees in a Military WorkplaceEmilia Pietiläinen0Heikki Kyröläinen1Tommi Vasankari2Matti Santtila3Tiina Luukkaala4Kai Parkkola5Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Kauppi Campus, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, FinlandNeuromuscular Research Center, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35 (VIV), 40014 Jyvaskyla, FinlandFaculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Kauppi Campus, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, FinlandDepartment of Military Pedagogy and Leadership, National Defence University, P.O. Box 7, 00861 Helsinki, FinlandResearch, Development and Innovation Center, Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, FinlandDepartment of Military Pedagogy and Leadership, National Defence University, P.O. Box 7, 00861 Helsinki, FinlandPhysical activity is beneficial for improving health and reducing sick leave absences. This article describes a protocol for an intervention using an interactive accelerometer smartphone application, telephone counselling, and physical activity recordings to increase the physical activity of workers in the military and improve their health. Under the protocol, employees from six military brigades in Finland will be randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. The intervention group’s participants will use accelerometers to measure their daily physical activities and their quality of sleep for six months. They will receive feedback based on these measurements via a smartphone application. The intervention group’s participants will be encouraged to exercise for two hours per week during working hours, and to participate in telephone counselling. The control group’s participants will continue with their normal exercise routines, without the accelerometer or feedback. The participants of both groups will be measured at the baseline, after the intervention period, and six months after the end of the intervention. The measurements will include accelerometer recordings, biochemical laboratory tests, body composition measurements, physical fitness tests, and questionnaires on sociodemographic factors, physical activities, and health. The primary outcomes will indicate changes in physical activity, physical fitness, and sick leave absences. The findings will help to develop a straightforward and cost-effective model for supporting the health and working capabilities of employees in the military and other workplaces.https://www.mdpi.com/2409-9279/5/1/1interventionphysical activityphysical performanceaccelerometermobile applicationssick leave absences |
| spellingShingle | Emilia Pietiläinen Heikki Kyröläinen Tommi Vasankari Matti Santtila Tiina Luukkaala Kai Parkkola A Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol for Using an Accelerometer-Smartphone Application Intervention to Increase Physical Activity and Improve Health among Employees in a Military Workplace Methods and Protocols intervention physical activity physical performance accelerometer mobile applications sick leave absences |
| title | A Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol for Using an Accelerometer-Smartphone Application Intervention to Increase Physical Activity and Improve Health among Employees in a Military Workplace |
| title_full | A Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol for Using an Accelerometer-Smartphone Application Intervention to Increase Physical Activity and Improve Health among Employees in a Military Workplace |
| title_fullStr | A Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol for Using an Accelerometer-Smartphone Application Intervention to Increase Physical Activity and Improve Health among Employees in a Military Workplace |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol for Using an Accelerometer-Smartphone Application Intervention to Increase Physical Activity and Improve Health among Employees in a Military Workplace |
| title_short | A Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol for Using an Accelerometer-Smartphone Application Intervention to Increase Physical Activity and Improve Health among Employees in a Military Workplace |
| title_sort | randomized controlled trial protocol for using an accelerometer smartphone application intervention to increase physical activity and improve health among employees in a military workplace |
| topic | intervention physical activity physical performance accelerometer mobile applications sick leave absences |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2409-9279/5/1/1 |
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